Joining or managing a homeowner’s association frequently involves matters of organization and compliance. When homeowners pay their dues, they are in the right to expect their HOA to abide by whatever services a contract stipulates.
This goes both ways. When homeowners refuse to pay their dues, HOA managers need to walk the line between keeping their neighborhood friendly and enforcing the legal agreements at hand. According to Boca News Now, a mega country club community has at least seven outstanding lawsuits to attend to.
The lawsuit basics
The country club alleges that several homeowners owe thousands of dollars in late dues, fees and interest. These lawsuits seek anywhere from $11,234.73 to $43,688.10. Some of these lawsuits involve accumulating fees of $75 per day as long as the homeowners continue to not pay. Some lawsuits may result in home foreclosure as per relevant agreements.
The importance of clear agreements
In a perfect world, homeowners would pay their dues and HOAs would provide their services in exchange with no hiccups. Short of that, comprehensive contracts—that come with clear penalties when people ignore those contracts—are the primary method of enforcing HOA and condominium agreements. That is why it is vital for any organization that manages real estate to draft this documentation through sound resources.
The success of organized enforcement strategies
It is helpful to keep things organized before signing contracts, during agreements with homeowners and even afterward with reliable records. Doing so may help keep relations smooth within the community even when one or two households fail to uphold their end of the bargain. Enforcing a community covenant without a plan may risk those smooth relations and an organization’s reputation.
